Each week, CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ examines a different area within the air cargo industry, showcasing the many, varied career paths it offers. In an industry that is literally constantly on the move and where its processes are ultimately dictated by set slot times and stringent safety regulations, it can be difficult to find the space to bring about change – and that is where a fresh set of outside eyes can help – combined with access to a wealth of industry experience, an extensive network of experts and a large mental library of best-practice examples. People who enable critical assessment, realistic goalsetting and, above all, can inspire and motivate employees to define and implement new ways of working. Chris Notter (CN), Independent Consultant, JCN Associates, is a prime example and this week shares his responsibilities, views, advice, and experience spanning almost half a century in this industry.
CFG: What is your current function and company? And what are your responsibilities?
CN: I operate as a business transformation and operational excellence partner across the air cargo and ground handling sector. My focus is simple: aligning People, Practices, and Performance through CARE and Calibrate.
I work with organizations that genuinely want to improve, not just through systems and outputs, but behavior, leadership capability, and accountability. That means: Resetting standards, defining clear Critical Role Expectations (CREs), building leadership capability at every level, embedding data-driven and measurable performance cultures, along with helping people be better than they thought they could be, and seeing that light in their eyes when they know how good they can be.
CFG: What does a normal day look like for you?
CN: There’s no ‘normal’, and that’s exactly the point and exactly why I enjoy every day as it comes.
Each day is a mix of: Challenging thinking at senior levels, coaching frontline leaders, reviewing operational reality vs reported performance, driving clarity where there is noise, identifying CARE coaches within businesses, and introducing Tactical Agility resilience capability within people who want to map out their future within this great industry of ours and help the next phase of leaders to realize their opportunities
One moment you’re in a boardroom discussing strategy quick impact critical actions, the next you’re on the warehouse floor or ramp asking: “Why is this really happening?”
That connection between strategy and reality is where the real work sits and the real satisfaction is generated. There is no greater time spent than ‘Feet on Ground’ with the people responsible for the outcomes and seeing the behavior and attitude of those on the front line delivering the core business.
CFG: How long have you been in the air cargo industry, and what brought you to it?
CN: I’ve spent decades in the industry, approaching 50 years. I fell into it through playing football and I thank John Dunn of Customs and Kieran Taylor of Lufthansa for a wonderful ride and brilliant experiences along the way. They kicked my life in logistics off and set me on my way.
What kept me here is People that I have met and worked with and the speed of change and opportunity. I have met some super stars and equally some wasters (I could slot a few other descriptive words in here but probably best not to at this point) and betwixt them both, I have a huge appreciation and respect for those hard-working genuinely good people who really are the engine of this wonderful industry, PEOPLE that CARE.
Air cargo doesn’t hide problems, it exposes them.
Time pressure, complexity, global dependency, it’s all real, every day, every shift.
What drew me in, and still drives me, is the opportunity to make a visible, measurable difference where it actually matters, the operation and the people running it, but especially by helping individuals realize their true capability and the opportunities that brings them and their families along the way. I remember many great managers who encouraged me and gave me opportunities and took a risk on supporting me, giving me opportunities to live and work abroad in so many countries and allowing me to meet and work with so many great people along the way.
CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?
CN: Seeing people shift from confusion to clarity, and from capability to confidence.
When a team understands what’s expected, starts working together as one team and not silo self-promoting, takes ownership and appreciates the difficult challenges by working through them with the right attitude and behavior, as well as delivering results they didn’t think possible in a resilient and relevant way – that’s the reward. Not presentations. Not reports. Real behavioral change that drives real performance and can be measured along the ROI pathway.
CFG: Where do you see the greatest challenges in our industry?
CN: The biggest challenge is the growing disconnect between people and performance.
The “Alligator’s Mouth” is widening: It is where operational experts develop over time and experience, but do not get sufficient leadership development, and where academic or other industry recruitment is introduced without operational practical understanding.
At the same time, we’re over-relying on systems to fix what is fundamentally a people and leadership issue.
Until we invest properly in both sides, that gap will continue to drive inconsistency, frustration, and underperformance, and in some cases, conflict.
CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to get into the air cargo industry?
CN: Firstly, learn the operation properly. There is no shortcut for understanding how this industry really works.
Secondly, don’t just build technical skills. Invest early in effective Communication, decision-making under pressure – resilience and accountability and ownership. It is important to lead by example, not by directives or e-mail instructions.
Thirdly, seek environments that develop you, not just use you.
And lastly, always maintain your own standards and do so in a positive way by showing the best possible behavior and attitude, as with those two friends, you can achieve anything. Look and try and gain the support of someone with real experiences who has made mistakes and learned fast from the outcomes.
The industry doesn’t need more titles – it needs more capable, grounded leaders who understand both people and performance.
CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be?
CN: ‘Against the Clock: When Reality Meets Responsibility’
Because in this industry, the clock never stops, the pressure is constant and the truth always shows itself in the operation. The real story isn’t about cargo – it’s about people, decisions, and how we respond when it matters most.
The sequel would be ‘WHY NOT’
Thank you so much, Chris!
If you would like to share your personal air cargo story with our CargoForwarder Global readers, feel free to send your answers to the above questions to cargoforwarderglobal@kopfpilot.at We look forward to shining a spotlight on your job area, views, and experiences.
